Obituaries

Martha S. Orth, 95, of Plainfield Township, died Monday, October 6, 2014 in St. Luke’s Hospital.

Born June 2, 1919 in Easton, she was a daughter of the late Elbert and Martha (Santee) Seifert.

Her husband, Charles Orth died in May of this year.  She and her husband owned and operated Charlie’s Snack Bar, Forks Township.  She also worked at Binney and Smith, Easton.  She graduated from Easton High School in 1936.

Martha was a member of St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, Tatamy, the Bushkill Valley Motorcycle Club, and the E-Z Goers RV Group.

Surviving are three daughters, Suzanne Keller, Priscilla Harvey and her husband, David, Rebecca Gelles and her husband, George; a son, Charles B. Orth and his wife, Kimberly; a sister, Harriet Laube; nine grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.

Services will be private.  The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Peter’s UCC, 401 Broad St., Tatamy, 18085.  Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Eleanor J. Morgenstern, 97, of Phillipsburg, NJ passed away peacefully on Saturday, September 27, 2014 at St. Luke’s Hospital, Warren Campus, Phillipsburg, NJ.

Born April 4, 1917 in Easton, PA she was the daughter of the late Mathias Frank Fegley and Jennie L. (Bieber) Fegley.  Her husband John E. Morgenstern, Sr. died in September of 1971.

A 1934 graduate of Wilson High School, she was a lifelong member of First Moravian Church, Easton where she had served as a Sunday School teacher, choir member and on the Guild. She was also named Member of the Year by the church in 2010. Eleanor was devoted to her family, her church and her church family.

She is survived by three children: John E. Morgenstern, Jr. and his wife Patricia Hanzsek of Hampton, NH, Wendy J. Mamana and her husband James, Robert M. Morgenstern and his wife Patty all of Bangor, PA; six grandchildren: Lisa Bath, Chris and John Mamana, Amanda Duane, Jared and Christian Morgenstern; and ten great-grandchildren: Sarah, Grace, Ella, Jenna, Jackson, Claire, Aiden,  Amelia, Tias, and Aurora. Her brother Robert Fegley preceded her in death.

Services will be held 1:30 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 1) in the First Moravian Church, 225 N. 10th Street, Easton, PA 18042 with visitation from 1 to 1:30 p.m.in the church. The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton, PA is handling the arrangements. Interment will be in Easton Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Sharon K. “Sherry” Simms, 64 of Forks Twp., PA died Friday, September 26, 2014 at home.

Born June 10, 1950 in Frankfort, Germany she was a daughter of Verda (Schwendener) Simms of Forks Twp., PA and the late William F. Simms, Sr.

She was a graduate of Easton High School and the Easton Hospital School of Nursing. She had been employed by Easton Hospital as a Registered Nurse in the Obstetrics Department for 15 years. Sherry was a loving mother and grandmother with a great heart.

She is survived by her mother: Verda; two daughters: Kim Longacre and her husband Tim of Stewartsville, NJ, Christa Zechman and her husband Keith, Sr. of Bath, PA; brothers and sisters: Pamela Smith of Saylorsburg, PA, Marsha Simms of Wilson Borough, PA, Karen George of Allentown, PA , Glenn Simms of Barto, PA, William Simms, Jr. and Mark Simms of Forks Twp., PA; 6 grandchildren: Alyssa Bennett, Keith Zechman, Jr., Sierra Zechman, Collin Longacre, Carly Longacre, Arianna Zechman and a great-granddaughter: Myleigh  Zechman.

Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Tuesday (Sept. 30) in the  Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  Interment will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation at www.Sjogrens.org.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Patricia A. (McGowan) Ditze, of Easton, PA passed away peacefully, Thursday, September 25, 2014 at St. Luke’s University Hospital, Fountain Hill, PA .

Born Patricia Ann McGowan, September 30, 1941 in Easton, PA she was the daughter of the late Martin J. and Gladys (Stone) McGowan and the loving wife of David M. Ditze for 43 years.

Pat graduated with the second graduating class of Notre Dame HS, Bethlehem Twp., PA. She continued her education at Marywood College, Scranton, PA receiving her BS in Home Economics. Over the course of her career as an educator, she was employed by the Phillipsburg School District, Delaware Valley School district, and Bethlehem Kids Peace.  She also taught tailoring in the evening to adults, was the Saturday afternoon Bier Fraulein at Which Brew House of Food and Spirits, supervised playgrounds, including the playground called her home. Pat was the mother of 5 girls, grandmother to one grandson, and aunt to nieces and nephews. She was a caring, loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She had a wonderful sense of humor that her husband admired, children inherited and friends shared. Her family and all who knew her will miss her strength, courage, patience, support, encouragement, and thoughtfulness.

She is survived by her husband David; five daughters: Kelly-Jo of Easton, Tara-Lin of Bethlehem, Mardi-Leigh of Philadelphia, Deidre-Anne of Bethlehem, Lorna-Jean of Chicago; a brother: James T. McGowan of Wilson Borough; and grandson: Tristen Odenwelder of Easton.

A calling period will be held from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 30) in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA.

Memorial contributions be made to the American Stroke Assoc., 968 Postal Rd., Suite 110, Allentown, PA 18109.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Lois J. Frick, 92, of Forks Twp., PA died Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at home.

Born October 31, 1921 in Philadelphia, PA she was a daughter of the late Charles and Emma (Long) Jenney.

She and her husband Robert L. Frick, Sr., whom she met while roller skating at Bushkill Park, have been married for 67 years. She was a member of Cornerstone Ev. Free Church Easton and had been a Sunday School teacher at Fellowship Church for more than 20 years. She had also served in the Civilian Air Patrol during WWII. Lois opened her heart and home to many people and her family came first.

She is survived by her husband: Robert, Sr.; children: Robert L. Frick, Jr. and his wife Karen of Easton; Jeanne Crivellaro of Forks Twp., PA; 3 granddaughters: Penne Swingle, Bree Fehnel, Carey Frick; and 6 great-grandchildren: Skyler, Chelsea, Savannah, Marisa, Sierra and Balen.

Services will be held graveside 10:30 a.m. Tuesday (Sept. 30) in Northampton Memorial Shrine, Green Pond Road, Easton; the Ashton Funeral Home, Easton, PA is in charge of arrangements.

Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

Nellie H. Horne, 87, of Hanover Township, died Monday, September 22, 2014 in Lehigh Valley Hospital hospice.

Born August 13, 1927 in Gaffney, South Carolina, she was a daughter of the late John and Minnie Henderson.  Her husband, Clyde W. Horne died in 1984.

She was Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer for her husband’s company, ABE Industrial Insulators, Inc., Bethlehem.  She was a Pharmacist Assistant at Stone’s Drug Store, Cowpens, South Carolina and was also employed at the Savannah River Project where she designed a cross reference system for classified electric component inventory.  She sold World Book Encyclopedias and was a Welcome Wagon Hostess for Allentown and surrounding areas. Nellie was a graduate of Cowpens High School, Cowpens, South Carolina and New York Institute of Public Relations, New York City.  She was a member of First Baptist Church, Bethlehem and she previously taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School at Calvary Baptist Church, Allentown.  She was a member of Christian Women’s Club, Y-Wives, Allentown YWCA, Northwest Swim Club, Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter #297, Allentown, Lehigh Valley Chamber Orchestra, Y-Dames of Bethlehem, Friendship Club, Saucon Ladies, Gourmet Club of Bethlehem, Stafore Pinochle Club, Northwest Little League Parent’s Association and League of Women Voters.  She volunteered for Meals on Wheels and was a Girl Scout Troop Organizer in Hanover Township and a Girl Scout Neighborhood Chairperson for Bethlehem.  Nellie was an organizer for the Ross Perot presidential campaign and served on the National Board of Directors for the Reform Party.  In 1965 she received an award from Henry H. Fowler, Secretary of the United States Treasury, for patriotic service in support of the United States Savings Bonds Program.  In 1995 she received a Certificate of Achievement in recognition of Citizen Volunteer Services provided in support of Community Crime Prevention.  In 1996 she received a Certificate of Recognition for being named Outstanding Volunteer by Pennsylvania State Representative, Lisa Boscola.

Surviving are her children, Greg H. Horne and his wife Lovella of Hanover Township, and Sandra Gallagher and her husband, Jerome of Allentown; sisters, Virginia Harmon and Rose Bridges; grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday in First Baptist Church, 3235 Linden St., Bethlehem.  Call from 1:30 pm until service time.  The Ashton Funeral Home, Easton is handling the arrangements.  Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.

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